23 - 24 June. Early Bird prices end on 1st. May. A number of Tandem Couples have already booked and if you would like to camp tigether please let the organisers know by 1st. June. As usual a tandem specific ride is planned. Details.

You can now get an email sent to you with a link to the journal in audio MP3 form sent to you once Eifion has done his magic. Email webgroup@tandem-club.org.uk to set this up for you or you can set it up the next time you renew, there is a checkbox on the membership form.

We have implemented a new For Sale system. This allows members and non members to post adverts on the TC website. This is free for items under £100 and there is a small credit/debit card charge for items above this. Why not have a clear out of some of those old tandem bits lying around ?

We have created a new forum system. The old one was outdated and probably had some security flaws. We have copied all of the old forum information into the new system To post messages to it you will need a website account and login. See here for more information on how to use it. The website's top menu provides access to the discussions and wanted items under the "Boards" heading.

Regions News

After cancelling the scheduled March ride due to 8' snow drifts, 9 tandems and 2 solos met at Bovey Tracey on a beautiful sunny morning for a ride over Dartmoor organised by Steve and Maggie.

We started with the challenging climb of Haytor stopping halfway (about 700') at Ullacombe Farm Shop, where we enjoyed a leisurely break sitting in the sunshine. After our fix of coffee, we were now ready to attack the steeper part of the climb, which then plateaued out before another steeper section to the summit of about 1400',where we regrouped, taking photos of the iconic rock and the wild Dartmoor ponies. We then continued across the undulating Moor, enjoying the bluebells, gorse and stunning views, eventually winding down through the Devon lanes to the B3212. Heading east with the road twisting and turning and with a couple of fast descents, lunch at Moretonhampstead was calling. The Union Inn was welcoming and we were well looked after.

Remounting our trusty steads, we were ready for the slow, steady climb towards Doccombe, after which we were able to enjoy the long 4mile decent towards Dunsford. Regrouping once again at Steps Bridge, we then turned south to follow the pretty Teign Valley road towards Chudleigh Knighton and back to the finish at Bovey. We rode 32 miles and climbed just over 2700'. The ride seemed to be enjoyed by all and there were no complaints about the downhill sections!!!

It is with regret that I have to pass on the news of Ken Saunders death. He, together with his wife Margaret, were founder Regional Officers for the North Essex, South Suffolk area of the Tandem Club. He passed away on Tuesday 6th March after a return of his throat cancer. They had a tandem trike and were often to be seen out in the byways of Suffolk and farther afield, with their dog Lulu in a carrier behind. Ken was a great character, very friendly and with a good sense of humour, he will be sadly missed.

Taunton Tandem Group has become so successful that even in the middle of February 13½ tandems turned up for this months ride organised by Richard and Michelle. The newly adopted policy of splitting into two groups, following the same route but with staggered start times, worked well. We met at the Willow & Wetlands Centre at Stoke St Gregory before heading to Langport for lunch, following quiet lanes through the pretty villages of North Curry, Barrington and Kingsbury Episcopi. The ‘A Team’, ably led by Nick and Rachel, arrived for lunch intact and without incident. The ‘B Team’ was less successful suffering a broken gear cable (which Steve managed to fix with a cable tie, although he and Maggie then had to complete the ride in one gear) and, more seriously, a broken bottom bracket on Mark and Liz’s tandem. Fortunately, some friendly locals took pity on them and gave them a lift to Langport. Mark then teamed up with John to go and fetch the van, whilst the ladies enjoyed more coffee and cake! The Bow Wharf Café did a great job in serving 27 pre-ordered lunches. A brief rain shower failed to dampen spirits on the short ride back to Stoke St Gregory.

Nick and Rachel organised a glorious November ride with coffee to start and then a mixture of gentle and more aggressive undulations over 22 miles. There were 27 of us and, had we laid our tandems end to end, it looked like nearly a furlong's worth! We went west from Taunton and strung out across the lanes of Taunton Vale to descend into Milverton. A Somerset local who on another day might have had a smock and a wisp of straw in his mouth asked us what we were doing clogging up his village, and encouraged all those on the back of tandems to rise up against their oppressors on the front. Then we went east back to Taunton and shared some good beer and delicious food at the Vivary Arms. It was then back to Nick and Rachel’s for a very generous afternoon tea and cakes spread